What? Where??
Having lunch with the DP I had just said, " Its when the sea is like this you get to see things....."
And there is a 'thing'. A Dolphin.
And more.....
Including a baby!
Meanwhile further up the coast.
Three Hump Backed Whales.
No wonder I spend so much time in the Museum of Scottish Lighthouses Cafe!
Update. Minerva McGonnagall. She who had leg dislocated from hip by feral cat has patiently endured house arrest for weeks. The reinsertion (?) by vet has held up. In. Today was release day.
This is Minerva some time ago with my granddaughter, who was being introduced to A CAT.
Min had her collar replaced with magnet to open cat flap and after some considerable sniffing ever inch of the outer door ventured out - and disappeared. She has returned, exhausted. But with four legs working. Presumably been checking out that the fields are still there.
Cait Sith is still on steroids, eating, eating, eating. He has gained weight. But his red blood cells have not increased as much as they hoped. Further blood tests await. But he seems happy enough.
I am gearing up for the North East Open Studios where our Art Group exhibits at the Lighthouse Museum. Lots of paintings been mounted and framed.
"I was just having me tea." one to be mounted.
And, "Oh We Do Like to be beside the Seaside - not.." another.
Painting of which takes ones mind off worrying about cats.
I do not find making decisions difficult. I am the one who worries after I have made the decision!
Phone the vet! Phone the doctor! Then I worry whether I am wasting their time.
My role as Trustee at the Lighthouse Museum often incurs me making big decisions. Particularly when the Business Manager is on holiday, as now.
As a volunteer my decisions are quite small ones.
What to display where.
How to group the books.
Where is the hotspot? This sells, so move it?
Those decisions are fun. Playing shops. Just love it.
I was in today as a Volunteer. Playing shops. And sorting behind the front desk. This is a claustrophobic area where, literally, stuff gets thrown in. I have been trying for two years to create some order in there. I am almost there.
Believe it or not these are after pictures. Before - you couldn't see the floor. Still a way to go. But so much better.
Then there are the big decisions.
Well are they really? I will not bore you with what appeared to be a MAJOR ISSUE and wasnt. Though some made me laugh.
The window seat. People kill to sit here. Above the diners is a glass roof, (sorry for the historical photo).
Mad panic from the cafe staff. Drops coming through the roof onto the table. This during a very blustery, sheeting rain day. Drops?
Start to panic when there is a FLOOD, or the roof falls on a customer.
Solution...... I will have my lunch sitting there and ....no drops.
Next panic was about 50 Italian tourists coming in and all going up to the cafe. Our cafe seats around 35. Did they care ? No. Did they eat us out of house and home - yes. Where had they come from? (Apart from Italy?) Checked the car park. No Coach Driver we could have a rant at. No hordes of campervans, apparently they all got off a bus in the bus station in town and walked up. Is that a problem?
Chef of the day. " We need to stop serving hot food as we havent any."
Is that a problem? No. Communication is the possible problem. Let the customer know before they sit down, peruse the menu, make an order, only then to be told.....Its off.
Quick signs printed off, "Due to unforeseen ......50 Italians....." (no we didnt do that!)
"Enjoy our delicious cakes from 2.30p.m. today." We did that.
Turn a negative into a positive. Seemple.
Then there is the really BIG decision. Selling the house. Sod it, lets stay put. And no worries after the decision, just a feeling of calm...............
"
I aim to get down to the shedudio every afternoon I am able , i.e. not going somewhere else.
I listen to music, mainly classical, opera. Sundays its the radio .
Elaine Paige then Johnny Walker.
I look out of the windows, mainly to the right where the bird feeders hang.
To the front of me is, through the gap in the Poplars, Mormond Hill. A couple of wind turbines. Not many places in Scotland not without these sadly. I am all for green energy, (though why our electric bill is higher than anyone elses as we go for the green energy power supplier I know not......)
And to my left I can see the house and the side garden.
Well now I have another view. Upwards. The Dawn Patroller has decided to finish what I started. Paint the inside of the shedudio. It is so much brighter already. Just one coat so far and half way along the roof. Gone are the days when I had the puff to decorate.....
Which really helps me to do what I really do down the shedudio. Paint.
Lots of paintings on the drawing board, down the Shedudio.
I have a tendency to forget my disability. Until it involves me wanting to go somewhere.
Still fighting over getting the 'Blue Badge' so I cannot park near to places even though the whole ethos behind the scheme is for people with a disability to retain their independence - I had to ask the Dawn Patroller to come with me to Gardenstown.
As you can see its on a cliff side. Which involves hills, and steps.
I was very flattered to be invited to exhibit at a gallery in the village as part of the
weekend long art extravaganza. But how to get there? Having to park at the bottom end of the village, push the wheeled chariot up hills to the top of this was just not on.
The DP dropped me off at the top of the steps and then drove the car to the bottom end of the village to park it. Had I had a Blue Badge I could have parked much nearer and on my own. Hey ho.
I discovered the brakes worked very well on the chariot going down steps... And eventually got down to where the bunting was.
And into the gallery.
Thats me in the corner, Gannets, Black Horse and behind the reflection a seal pup.
I then had to manage the rest of the steps down.
I should say that able bodied persons can park at the bottom of this and climb up. Ha ha.
On the way home we had a not very nice lunch but a good mosey round a garden centre. And I bought some plastic covered table cloth. a)to protect the tables I use in the shedudio and b) to brighten it up a bit..
The lovely DP has also cleaned all the windows in the shedudio so much brighter for me, as poor tree feller we had booked is ill. So trees remain shading views and light. The lovely DP has also promised to finish painting the interior of the shed which will further lighten it.
Also a sign to hang on the wall.
And why not spend some pennies. We have realised we aint going anywhere. But here.
The Dawn Patroller, recently, won a wee photographic competition.
For some time, on Facebook, there has been a page for Fraserburgh Photos through the Years. Which is really very interesting. Did you know that there were more bombs dropped on Fraserburgh than most places? As this was the last bit before the Germans returned home so they jettisoned what they had left.
But new photographs kept being put up.
On the original page there were lots of comments about, "Ah - what the beach was like.....what the town was like.. " and so on, and as more recent photos crept in they DID NOT LIKE IT.
So alongside that page we now have New Fraserburgh Photos. Which to be honest show just as much beauty, activity, etcetera as the old. (Without reference to the war.)
Each month there is a heading, last month was Harbour and Beach. The DP won the months competition with the above. Which went somewhere to silencing the "We wont see the beach like that again." (in the 50s.) Well, no, different clothing but still plenty people. Although I am told the vast majority of people using the beach are not from Fraserburgh. But TOURISTS. Which for some is a surprise. Tourists? Why would they come here? How long have you got for me to tell you why?
The last weekend saw the Scottish Windfest Tour. Kite Surfers Gathered, had competitions, (apart from there being no wind at all on day one!)
Fantastic fun. On Fraserburgh Beach 2014.
.....Do not write about it.
Thanks to those who commented about my absence and good wishes. I didnt publish the comments but they warmed my heart.
You now have me back ha ha. I am fine.
Very happy as I sold this painting.
Somewhat mixed happiness as I really liked this one as it made me smile. But hey ho. And I did really want to smile recently.
Been a traumatic time here recently and there is no funny side.
Minerva McGonnagall Cat recovering from dislocated hip. Caused by stray interloper.
Cait Sith Cat who is wasting away. Also attacked by stray interloper. His abcess responded to treatment but his severe weight loss was not down to old age as we had hoped.
We thought we were losing them both.
So for once I could not see a funny side. So I didnt write about it.
